Mistletoe
by Kathryn C. Gray
Summary: Jace has a plan. He has to get Alec under the mistletoe before the day is over. Things don't go exactly as expected, though. For Jackie  : -AU-


**This is AU, meaning Max isn't dead because I say so. :) Everything else stays as it is. Except Jace/Clary, of course.

* * *

**

_**Mistletoe**_

_**

* * *

**_

The pre-Christmas party days at the institute where always chaotic. Isabelle and Maryse insisted on hanging decorations to their heart's content, which made the house look like a huge Halmark Christmas card or something. Robert and Alec were out buying ingredients from a list carefully elaborated by Isabelle, which left Jace with Max and Church. They were sitting by the fireplace. Jace was slumped on a chair, while Max played with toy figurines.

"Church, no!" Max was trying to get a box out of Church's grasp. Jace took a closer look at it; it was labeled with _MISTLETOE BRANCHES_. The corner of Jace's mouth twitched upwards. "Church, let go. Pleeeease?" The cat took one look at Max and then walked away. "Phew. Isabelle would've killed me," Max said, picking up the box.

"Max, I've got an idea. Wanna help me?" Jace asked. Max grinned and nodded so violently it looked like his head was going to fall at any minute. "Okay. Here's the deal."

"Do I hang one here too, Jace?" Max said, holding the little branch over his head. Isabelle looked over and saw Jace holding little Max over his shoulders so he could hang the mistletoe on the door frame.

"Jace, what are you doing?" Isabelle asked. Even Maryse stopped what she was doing to stare at Jace. He had an idiotic smile on his face, which made Isabelle sigh. She gave Max her half-eaten bag of cookies and continued what she was doing.

"What does it look like we're doing? We're hanging mistletoe, of course." Jace rolled his eyes at Isabelle. "C'mon Max, we've got work to do."

"Yeah! We're hanging mistletoe on all the places Alec frequently is. There's mistletoe everywhere, Izzy!" Max said enthusiastically. Isabelle's head snapped up again but this time, she was glaring at Jace. "Oops? I'm sorry Jace, it slipped!" Max was covering his mouth with his hands.

"Oh Max, you and your big mouth!" Jace said, looking down and winking at Max. The little boy smiled, knowing that Jace wasn't mad at him.

"By the Angel, Jace why would you even do that?" Isabelle said. "Alec is not the only one that lives here! What if you get trapped under the mistletoe with…with my mom?" Maryse looked at her daughter and shook her head in disbelief.

"Well, I'm sure Maryse wouldn't mind some smoochy time with me, eh?" Maryse let out a little laugh. So did Jace and Max. Isabelle was the only one against it.

"Alline is coming, a-"

"Alline is coming?" Jace groaned.

"Yes. Clary and Simon are coming as well. Jocelyn and Luke too. Are you willing to have some smoochy time with them?" Isabelle said, with a triumphant smile on her face.

"Oh, so the couples are coming! Who are _you_ going to be paired with? Alline?" Jace wiggled his eyebrows as he saw Isabelle's grin fall. "Thought so. Now let me carry on with my master plan. Oh, and not a word, okay?"

"Whatever."

"Love you too, Izzy," Jace said, blowing a kiss at her.

"Again, whatever."

* * *

After Jace and Max were done with the mistletoe box, it was time to get ready. Isabelle insisted on her strict dress code, but Jace ignored it by wearing jeans and a black, long-sleeved turtleneck. He walked downstairs and saw Alec, Robert and Alline by the door. Alec was wearing a white buttoned shirt with a leather jacket and jeans. His hair looked messier than usual and his cheeks were pink due to the cold. Jace couldn't help but smile a little.

"Jace! Don't be a stranger, come and say hello!" Alline yelled. Jace had to keep himself from rolling his eyes. He walked downstairs and nodded politely at Robert, hugged Alline and pecked Alec lightly on the lips, causing him to blush even more. In that moment, Jocelyn, Luke and Clary arrived. Hugs were exchanged and gifts were given.

"Hello everyone and thanks for coming," Maryse said, charming as ever. "Oh, where's the boy? Simon, is it?"

"He's running late. He'll be here soon," Clary said, smiling.

"Very well, I'd like to invite you all to the dining room for our little banquet."

* * *

Saying that it was a little banquet was an understatement. There was enough food to feed everyone for weeks. Everyone ate until they couldn't swallow any more. But, of course, there's always space for dessert. Maryse's famous Baked Alaska. Max found it incredibly amusing when his mother set the dish aflame.

"Exquisite," Jocelyn said. "Delicious. It's been ages since I've had a slice of Baked Alaska." Clary nodded in agreement, while Simon stuffed his face with more of the cake. Isabelle and Alline were discussing fashion, while Alec and Jace were giving sweet looks to each other. After dinner was over, everyone went to the living room to cozy up by the fireplace.

"I'mma go look for something to drink," Alec said. "Jace?" The blonde teen stood up and followed the other one to the kitchen, stopping by the doorframe. Jace kept tugging on Alec's sleeve, not letting him walk. "What?" Jace pointed up. "Oh."

"Mistletoe." Jace pulled Alec in for a quick kiss, but was interrupted when Max came in and yelled 'GET A ROOM!' erupting in a fit of giggles. Alec rolled his eyes and got his drink, leaving Jace standing on his own. When Alec walked by the other mistletoe spot, Jace was ready to go and assault him but Clary got there first. Luckily, neither realized that there was a little branch hanging. It went on, and on. Jace's master plan was failing.

"Max, c'mere," Jace said. He leaned in and whispered. "Where did you hang the rest of the mistletoe?"

"Your room. Why?" Max asked.

"No reason. Thanks, kiddo."

* * *

After the guests were gone, Isabelle wanted to drag Jace, Alec and Max with her to the kitchen. Cleaning duties, she claimed. Alec and Jace got away but little Max wasn't so clever. Laughing, Jace dragged Alec upstairs, hoping to find one last branch of mistletoe hanging. Instead, he was surprised by what he saw.

"You went a little overboard, didn't you?" The mistletoe wasn't hung; it was sprawled all over Jace's bed. "If you wanted to kiss me, you could've just said so."

"Uh, I didn't do this."

"Yeah, right," Alec said, smirking. "You totally did."

"I didn't! It was Max!"

"Mhmm."

"Really!"

"Just shut up and kiss me, Wayland."

"Aye, captain."

* * *

**THE END.**

**HAPPY HOLIDAYS, MY PEOPLE. I LOVE _ALL_ OF YOU.**

**Excuse my grammar, feel free to point mistakes, etc etc.**

**Feel the holiday love.**


End file.
